Looking at the intellectual level of the posts on this site I may be in the wrong place altogether. Being a thicko, I have often to resort to asking for an on-line hint [development version] to show me the error of my ways. I am usually satisfied with the hint, but regularly I get the message that the hint cannot be explained! Does this mean it's just a GUESS?

Looking at the intellectual level of the posts on this site I may be in the wrong place altogether. Being a thicko, I have often to resort to asking for an on-line hint [development version] to show me the error of my ways. I am usually satisfied with the hint, but regularly I get the message that the hint cannot be explained! Does this mean it's just a GUESS?

Hi Erik, welcome to the forum. I'm not sure I'm interpreting the question correctly, but here's how I'm reading it: you're playing the puzzle online and you click the "Hint" button and the hint appears as a red number in the appropriate cell.

I don't use that feature often because I'm a paper-and-pencil guy. However, to the best of my knowledge, those hints always have a logical explanation behind them. Where are you getting the message that they can't be explained?

At any rate, if I misinterpreted your question, don't hesitate to ask again. Or if you're playing a puzzle and receive a hint that you would like an explanation for, just ask on the Daily Puzzles sub-forum and any number of people will be happy to help.

Thanks for replying. I obviously didn't explain myself fully, so I'll try again! I often use the draw/play facility to attempt to see where I went wrong with a puzzle. I input the grid, and press HINT under development version. Just when I think I'm beginning to understand the difficult bits, the hint says it cannot explain the hint. What use is that?

Just when I think I'm beginning to understand the difficult bits, the hint says it cannot explain the hint. What use is that?

I had not even been aware of the Development Version page, but I messed around with it for a few minutes.

The lack of an explanation is certainly of no use for what you want it to do. About all I can say is that the site owner has been extremely busy and presumably has been unable to devote the time to make modifications to the site's features.

Case in point. Look at today's puzzle. Select development version. Press HINT and follow the sequence. At a crucial stage in the puzzle the message CANNOT EXPLAIN THIS HINT appears. Don't be tempted to stick any numbers in yourself.